Accessories to Complement Your RoomWhether you decide to buy new furniture or upholster your current furniture, I can create coordinating accessories for a truly custom and designer look for any room in your home:

Underneath the Upholstery: The Truth About Factory-Made FurnitureLet’s take a look underneath today’s mass-produced furniture to see why it has become inferior to yesterday’s hand-crafted furniture.

Low-quality wood

Woods previously unsuitable for furniture frames, such as plywood, are used instead of hardwood.

The furniture is less durable and more likely to need replacement after only a few years.

Poorly constructed furniture frames

Today’s frames are “thrown” together as quickly as possible with staple guns and fast-drying epoxy.

Many manufacturers no longer use meticulously dowelled joints or wait for wood glue to dry during the re-clamping process.

Low-quality materials

Replacing coil springs and heavy-duty sinuous (no-sag) springs with a lighter gauge—and fewer of them per seat—causes seat cushions to sag more quickly.

The cost of quality, high-density foam has increased drastically. Many furniture manufacturers use a low-density foam suitable for the showroom, but it may break down after only a few months of use.

For padding, natural fibers like cotton or jute are better than synthetic materials. But styrofoam edge-roll is cheaper and manufacturers assume you won’t know the difference.

Protect Your Quality InvestmentIf you purchased your furniture more than 10 years ago, it is likely higher quality and has more durability than furniture made after 2004. It is worth protecting your original investment by upholstering your furniture to suit your needs than replacing it with an inferior product.

Should I Reupholster or Buy New Furniture?If your furniture is more than 10 years old and showing signs of wear, you may be asking this question.

While cost is a primary factor in your decision, you also must consider quality. Today’s furniture is made with considerably less quality and attention to detail than in the past, thus it may need replacing after only a few years of regular use. Upholstering your older, but higher-quality furniture protects your initial investment and saves you money, because the furniture was built to last longer.

Many people believe that reupholstering is expensive and can cost just as much as buying a new piece of furniture at the local big-box store. But what many people don’t know is that most furniture built as recently as 10 years ago was built at a higher industry standard than it is today. With big-box retailers offering deep discounts for lower-quality merchandise, even finer-furniture manufacturers have lowered their standards in order to compete with the discount manufacturers.

Why Choose Shelly Bird Custom Interiors & Design?With custom work, quality means everything. Every stitch, fold, tuck, and tack must be perfect to meet your satisfaction—and mine. I pay meticulous attention to every detail and treat your furniture as if it was my own. With more than 25 years of experience, I will create a flawless look that will last for years to come.

As a professional custom designer, I take great pride in upholstering your furniture to the highest industry standards of days long gone by. I don’t skimp on quality—I won’t use low-quality fabrics or upholstering materials, or sub-standard adhesives on your furniture. And I don’t skimp on design—I won’t give your furniture a generic look that can be found in many stores and homes.

As I tell all my clients, a custom treatment must look custom so that no other home or office has an identical piece of furniture. That’s why I offer in-home consultations and provide fabric selections that complement your personality, style, and decor.